Page 37 of Christmas Wore Plaid

Love? Aye, he loved her, and he was a fool for almost letting her go and allowing his impoverishment to weaken his fortitude. He should have asked for her hand as he whispered sweet words in her ears while their bodies had thrummed together.

“Lord MacInnes.” She looked up at him, tempering the unabashed hope that had sprung to her face. “There, child, do you remember the lord?”

The girl smiled and nodded, when her brown eyes trailed from him to Matilda. The lass’s smile fell. Her face paled. She jumped to her feet and scampered around the puzzle to Emerson and buried her face against her shoulder. Emerson’s face contorted with surprise and she cast Brady a questioning look. His jaw tightened, his anger returning, for the lass’s reaction to Matilda was confirmation enough.

“Whatever is the matter, child?” Emerson said, welcoming the girl into her arms.

The anger that Brady had tamped down since Matilda’s confession reared its head again and this time, he gave it a bit of slack.

“Well?” he snapped, turning to Matilda. “What have you to say?”

Matilda dipped her face down and nodded. “It’s her.”

Brady turned back to Emerson and the girl. He gentled his scowl and crossed the floor to them, squatting down and lifting the child’s chin.

“Your name is Alexandria, is it not?”

The child, water pooling in her wide eyes, nodded. Yet her gaze flitted warily back to Matilda.

“You went to live with that maid, didn’t you?” he asked.

She nodded.

“And do you fear her? Do you wish not to be returned?”

She nodded vociferously now, a tear tumbling down her cheek. Brady wiped it away.

“Brady, what’s going on?” Emerson demanded.

Brady looked to her and smiled tenderly, picking up her hand and kissing it. What if she was willing to keep Alexandria with her? What if Emerson was willing to adopt her, and give her a fine life, in place of the daughter she had lost at birth? What if Emerson would give him a second chance and stay in Scotland to make a family with Alexandria…and with him?

“Emmy, I have news for you and for the child,” he said, shucking formalities of titles. After all, he had carnal knowledge of this woman who he was going to marry if she’d still have him. “The Widow Thomson”—the child’s face perked curiously at the surname—“will be pleased to know that this is Colleen’s bairn, and I’ve discovered the documents at Laird Reginald’s home.”

Emerson looked wide-eyed at the girl clinging to her, then back up at Brady.

“I thought you said it was a boy.”

He couldn’t contain his grin now. “I did, but the paperwork was written in error. Instead of a lad named Alexander, it was, in truth, her, Alexandria.” Brady spoke to the child again. “Did you come from the orphanage?”

Again the child nodded.

“And this woman saw you whipped, did she not?”

“Brady! Whatever do you mean?” Emerson gasped and thrust out her hand to him so he might help her rise. He pulled her to her feet and she leveled a firm glare at Matilda. “Is what he says true? You beat this child?”

The protective pinch to Emerson’s lips as she rallied her strength warmed Brady. Her health might be forever weakened, but her spirit was strong. He felt the anger too, and took both Emerson’s and Alexandria’s hands.

“It’s true, Emmy. The maid admitted it to me in front of Laird and Lady Reginald. When the orphanage closed, they placed many young children wherever they could around Perthshire. Alexandria was placed with Matilda. Child,” he addressed the girl, squatting back down to her level. “Your grandmother is alive and misses you. You shan’t be returned to Matilda.”

The child nodded, clinging to Emerson’s side, and when he held his hands out to her, she came to him. He lifted her up and held her, his forearm beneath her rear and her arms encircling his neck. Such a sweet gesture that pleased him.

He glanced up at Emerson as he asked the girl his next question. “Would it please you to stay here with Lady Emerson?”

Alexandria looked at Emerson, too. “Aye.” Her voice was soft and raspy, but the single word leaked out from between her lips.

“Dear Alexandria, you spoke!” Emerson said, reaching up to cup the child’s cheek.

Alexandria looked up at Brady, and then spoke once more, words that sent Brady’s heart racing with anticipation. “You, too.”